Projectile tethered to linked resilient flexible line

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus providing fun and exercise for two players, apparatus having weighted body secured to flexible tension link having two ends, each player holding an end. By swinging hands and moving rapidly, weighted body can be thrown between players, players attempting to avoid being hit by weighted body. Link length and elasticity determine dynamic characteristics of apparatus. Elasticity easily varied by changing link material and for fine adjustment of link characteristics a composite link can be made in which link has elastic and inelastic materials arranged in parallel or series relationship. Dynamic characteristics of apparatus effect physical demands on players, and by selection of particular dynamic characteristics physical demands on players can be controlled.

United States Patent Pahr [45] June 4, 1974 [76] Inventor: Gustav OskarPahr, 97 Deep Dene FL, West Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada [22]Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 229,733

[52] US. Cl. 273/95 A, 273/58 C [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/02 [58] Field ofSearch 273/1 R, 58 C, 95 A, 97 R, 273/98, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 739,450 9/1903 Schnek273/75 1,782,254 11/1930 Breidenbach. 273/58 C 2,765,170 10/1956 Brown i273/58 C 2,944,817 7/1960 Stiller 273/58 C 2,948,532 8/1960 .lepsen....273/58 C 2,982,549 5/1961 Libow.... 273/95 A 3,540,726 11/1970 Davis273/58 C 3,637,209 l/l972 Raut 273/58 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS336,361 10/1930 Great Britain 273/58 C Primary E.raminerRichard C.Pinkham Assistant Eraminer-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brian.1. Wood [57] ABSTRACT Game apparatus providing fun and exercise for twoplayers, apparatus having weighted body secured to flexible tension linkhaving two ends, each player holding an end. By swinging hands andmoving rapidly, weighted body can be thrown between players, playersattempting to avoid being hit by weighted body. Link length andelasticity determine dynamic characteristics of apparatus. Elasticityeasily varied by changing link material and for fine adjustment of linkcharacteristics a composite link can be made in which link has elasticand inelastic materials arranged in parallel or series relationship.Dynamic characteristics of apparatus effect physical demands on players,and by selection of particular dynamic characteristics physical demandson players can be controlled.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The invention relates to an apparatus intended to be usedprimarily as a game for two players providing fun and exercise whilstdeveloping skill and dexterity.

2. Prior Art Many games that provide exercise for players require largeplay areas, expensive equipment, and protective clothing to protect theplayers against bodily injury. Many active games require excessivephysical effort; thus these particular games are not suitable forplayers with limited physical capabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention reduces some difficulties of thegame apparatus known to the inventor by providing an apparatus for useby two players, the apparatus providing a game intended primarily toimprove mobility of the players and, by careful selection of materialsused in construction of the apparatus, physical demands on the playerscan be increased or decreased at will. Also games using the apparatus ofthe invention require little space for playing, and involve little riskof bodily unjury to the players.

Game apparatus according to the invention includes a flexible tensionlink having two opposite ends, each player holding an end in a hand, theplayers being spaced apart a distance less than length of the link. Aweighted body is secured to the link, and by swinging the hand holdingthe end of the link and moving rapidly, the weighted body can be throwntowards the other player. Dynamic characteristics of the apparatus canbe selected to provide a game requiring various degrees of skill anddexterity. The weighted body can be made to swing about the link as apendulum, period of swing being variable. The link is made fromrelatively elastic or inelastic portions of material, elasticitycharacteristics of the link determining dynamic characteristics of theapparatus. Selected dynamic characteristics can be attained by having acomposite link formed of both elastic and inelastic portions arrangedin-parallel or series relationship.

A detailed description following related to drawings givesexemplification of embodiment of the invention which, however, iscapable of expression in structure other than that particularlydescribed and illustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a diagram of two players playingwith a game apparatus according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a simplified fragmented side elevation of the apparatus,

FIG. 3 is a simplified longitudinal section on a handle of theapparatus, some portions not shown in section,

FIG. 4 is a fragmented perspective of a players hand holding analternative handle, some portions of the handle being removed to showinternal detail,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a further alternative handle,

FIG. 6 is a diagram of apparatus having a single element-link,

FIG. 7 is a diagram of apparatus having a composite link, multipleelements of which are in series arrangement and are shown separated,

FIG. 8 is a diagram of apparatus having a composite link, multipleelements of which are in an alternative series arrangement and are shownseparated,

FIG. 9 is a diagram of apparatus having a composite link, multipleelements of which are in parallel arrangement and are shown separated,

FIG. 10 is a diagram of apparatus having a handicapped link.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE FIG. 1

A game apparatus 10 according to the invention is shown in use by twoplayers 11 and 12, playing on ground 19. The apparatus includes aflexible tension link 13, for example a cord, having two portions 16 and17 meeting in attachment point 18. The link 13 has two ends, handles 14and 15 being provided at each end, the handles having elongated bodyportions to be gripped in hands of the players 11 and 12 respectively. Aweighted body 20 is secured to the attachment point 18 by a connectinglink 22.

FIG. 2

The handles 14 and 15 have wrist Ioops25 and 26 respectively, the loopsadapted to pass around wrists of the player as described with referenceto FIG. 4. The portions 16 and 17 have lengths 28 and 29 respectively,each length being between about 4 feet and 6 feet, total length of thecord 13 between the handles when the cord is taut but not stretched thusbeing between 8 feet and 12 feet. The. connecting link 22 securing theweighted body 20 to the attachment point 18 has a length 31 of between 3inches and 6 inches.

The weighted body 20 has a length 33, about nine inches, and a maximumdiameter 34 about 6 inches, being generally pear-shaped as shown. Thebody has an outer skin, suitably a lightweight woven fabric or flexiblesheet plastic, and is filled with a lightweight, relatively inelasticfiller material such as polyethylene foam chips or other foamedlightweight plastic material. As the body 20 does not, in general,contact the ground heavily, it does not require to be made ofwear-resisting material.

FIG. 3 I

The handle 14 has an elongated body portion and, is necked at 38 asshown to improve grip and has a bore 40 extending axially through thehandle, the bore being of such diameter as to accept freely the end ofthe portion 16. The handle has an outer end 42 extending beyond thehand, an inner end 43, and a length 44 being about 6 inches, the innerend having a counterbore 4S concentric with the bore 40. An end of theportion 16 has a knot 46 which prevents the link 13 from pulling throughthe handle in the direction of an arrow 47, yet permits the link torotate within the handle, reducing a tendency of the link to accumulatetwists from rotation of the weighted body about the link. Anchoring asabove of the portion 16 in the handle 14 acts as a swivel means toreduce accumulation of twists in the link.

The wrist loop 25 has a length sufficient to pass snugly around thewrist of the player and to be gripped against the handle, similarly to aloop as shown on an alternative handle in FIG. 4. The loop is secured bya screw 48 in a position adjacent the outer end of the handle as shown.The apparatus can be simplified by eliminating the handles, but thismakes it awkward to hold and control'ends of the link 13.

FIG. 4

A first alternative handle 49 is generally similar to the handle 14(FIG. 3) having a wrist loop 50 similar to the loop 25. The player 11has a hand 51 and a wrist 52, thehand shown gripping the handle 49.The'wrist loop 50 passes around the wrist 52 andis gripped between thehandle and the hand. Description of holding the handle 49 as aboveapplies to all handles.

In contrast to the handle 14, the handle 49 has a flexible sleeve 53surrounding the portion 16 and extending a distance 54 about 6 inchesfrom the handle. An inner end 55 of the sleeve is a snug fit in acounterbore in an outer end of the handle and effectively cantileversthe sleeve and cord outwards from the handle. When an oblique load isapplied to the handle (i.e. link tension is in a direction other than asshown by the arrow 47), the sleeve bends to a position 53.1 shown inbroken outline. Stiffness of the sleeveprovides an additional springeffect tending to catapult the weighted body back to the other player. v

When in use, load on the portion 16 in a direction of the arrow 47 pullsthe wrist-loop tight about the wrist,

inverse taper of the hand preventing loss of the handle bore sufficientto permit rotation of the portion 16.

within the sleeve. FIG.

A second alternative handle 56 has an inner end 57, an outer end 58, anda length 59, the length beingbetween 12 and 18 inches. The outer end hasa swivel eye 62 secured to the portion 16, the eye acting as a swivelmeansand being free to rotate so as to reduce accumulation of twists inthe link 13. A wrist loop 64 is secured with a screw 65 at a distance 66from the end 57, the loop 64 serving the same purpose as the loop 25. Asthe length of the handle 56 is greater than the length 44 of the handle14, degreeof control of the weighted body is improved, however, thewrists experience increased moment arising vfrom the greater length,thus greater wrist strength is required than whenusing the handleDynamic Characteristics of Apparatus As previously stated, dynamiccharacteristics of the invention are easily adjustable. A decrease inmobility of the players can be obtained by shortening the con nectingcord 22 to a length approaching 3 inches such shortening decreases freeswinging or a pendulum effect of the body 20. Thus period of pendulumswing can be varied by changing connecting link length. For a relativelyinactive game the connecting cord 22 can be eliminated and the weightedbody can be secured directly to the link 13 reducing free swinging ofthe body 20 to rotation about the link 13.

If the flexible sleeve 53 is used with the first alterna- I tive handle49, there is likely to be a faster return of the weighted body from oneplayer to the other. A flexible sleeve similar to the sleeve 53 can beused with the second alternative handle 56, with suitable swivel meansto reduce accumulation of twists in the cord. This further alternativeis not illustrated.

The flexible tension link 13 can be made from a variety of materials, ora combination of various materials having different elasticitycharacteristics depending 4 upon the physical capabilities of theplayers. A central concept of the invention is ease ofselection ofelasticity characteristics of the link 13 to control nature and speed ofthe game. The elasticity characteristics above, the length of theconnecting links 13 and 22 and length of the handles control dynamiccharacteristicsv of the apparatus and correspondingly effects exercisebenefit derived from the game.

Flexible Tension Link FIGS. 6 9 I FIG. 6 I

If the game is to be particularly fast and provide much exercise for theplayers, the link 13 is made from a relatively inelastic material, suchas cotton or linen or a relatively non-stretch synthetic fiber such asDacron (registered trade mark), a polyester fiber. The connecting link22 is likewise inelastic and has a length 31 ap- Y f es upper and lowerlimits of the link elasticity characteristics, Le. a change from onematerial to the other is a coarse adjustment of link elasticitycharacteristics. Finer adjustment of link characteristics can beattained by having a link of multiple elements, such as a combination ofrelatively elastic and relatively inelastic portions of material, thecombinations having the portions of different characteristics arrangedin series or in parallel relationships forming a composite link, asshown in FIGS. 7 through 9.

FIG. 7 I

In a multiple element or composite link 75, elastic portions 76 and 77having unstretched lengths 78 and 79, are arranged in seriesrelationship with an inelastic portion 81 having a length 82. One end ofeach elastic portion is joined'to the inelastic portion, differentdynamic characteristics being attained from each portion and beingpartially dependent on sequence of portions in the series arrangement.Ratio of length 82 of the inelastic portion to lengths 78 and 79 of theelastic portions and total length of the link determines elasticitycharacteristics of the composite link. FIG. 8

An alternative composite link 83 has inelastic portions 85 and 86arranged in series relationship with an elastic portion 87. Sequence ofthe elastic and inelastic portions in the link 83 is different from thesequence in the link 75 (FIG. 7) and thus dynamic characteristics of thelink 83 are different from those of the link 75. Ratios of lengths ofthe portions and total length of the link partially determinecharacteristics of the link. FIG. 9

A further alternative composite link 90 has elastic and inelasticportions arranged in parallel relationship nates the dynamiccharacteristics and when the inelastic portion becomes-taut and theinelastic portion dominates the characteristics. The parallelarrangement as above has an added advantage of preventing overtensioningof the elastic portion provided ratio of the lengths 94 to 97 isselected carefully, which ratio, together with total length of the linklength, determines characteristics of the composite link.

In the series and parallel arrangements above, the ratios of lengths canbe adjustable to attain desired characteristics. Such adjustment can beby knotting or using releasable hooks etc. Elastic portions are drawndia grammatically.

Handicapping Arrangements FIG.

The above alternatives can be further varied by introducing ahandicapping system. For a non-handicapped game, with reference to FIG.2, the lengths 28 and 29 of the portions 16 and 17 are equal, theportions have equal elasticity characteristics, and are joined tosimilar handles. With reference to FIG. 10, an alternative link 105 issecured to body 20 at an attachment point 107, not at a midpoint of thelink. Thus the link is divided into two portions 108 and 109 havingunequal lengths 110 and 111. Unequal lengths can be employed forhandicapping purposes, it being advantageous generally for a playerhaving a longer portion between him and the body 20. Unequal elasticitycharacteristics of the link can also be used for handicapping,differences in characteristics being closely controlled by relativelysmall adjustments in composite link arrangements. Dissimilar handles canbe used also as a handicapping variable.

OPERATlON One purpose of the game is to providerelaxing entertainment; asecond purpose is to provide exercise, amount of exercise attained beinggenerally controlled by dynamic characteristics of the apparatus, andmovements of the players and their hands. As stated above, particularelasticity characteristics of the link 13 can be selected by combiningmaterials to form a composite link necessary.

To start the game, each player holds one handle, threading his handthrough the loop and gripping the handle as shown in FIG. 4. The playersstand spaced apart a distance less than length of the link, facing eachother as seen in FIG. 1, thus providing slack in the link. One player,for example player 11, suddenly runs forward a couple of steps, swinginghis handle forward so as to tend to throw the weighted body towards theplayer 12. The player 12, in trying to evade the weighted body, sidesteps and swings his arms so as to throw the weighted body back toplayer 11 who may be still sufficiently close to be hit by the weightedbody. ll the player 11 is hit by the weighted body he, the player 11,looses a point; or if he evades the body 20 by side stepping and thenswings his arm so that the weighted body swings back towards the player12, he may score a point by having the body 20 hit the player 12.Various scoring systems'can be used, but one method of playing is foreach player to try to hit the other one with the body 20 and at the sametime to avoid being hit himself.

To reduce wear of the weighted body, and to reduce dust disturbed by theweighted body, the players attempt to keep the weighted body fromtouching the ground. With an inelastic link 13 the players have to moveabout quickly to keep the weighted body off the ground and continuallymoving. With an elastic link 13, or a composite link, the players canutilize elastic energy stored in the link when stretched to effectivelycatapult the weighted body towards the other playenWith increasingskill, the players can utilize the pendulum effect produced by theconnecting link 22 permitting the weighted body to rotate about the link13 similarly to a pendulum.

As can be seen, due to the lightness of the weighted body 20, there islittle chance of bodily injury when a player is hit by the weightedbody. Likewise, length of the link 13 is generally sufficient to keepthe players apart, reducing chances of bodily contact.

. We claim:

1. A game apparatus for use by two players, the apparatus including:

a. a flexible tension link having a portion of relatively inelasticmaterial and a portion of relatively elastic material, in an unstretchedcondition the elastic material portion being shorter than the inelasticmaterial portion, the portions being joined at each end in parallelrelationship so as to form a composite link having selected dynamiccharacteristics, the link having two ends,

b. a handle secured to each end of the link, one handle to be held byone player, the other handle to be held by the other player, each handleincluding an elongated body portion to be gripped in the hand, thehandle extending beyond the hand and having a wrist loop to pass aroundand snuggly enclose the wrist and to be gripped against the bodyportion,

c. a weighted body secured to both portions at a position on the linkremote from the ends of the link,

so that as a result of rapid movements of the players and movements of.hands of the players the weighted body can be thrown from one player tothe other, dynamic characteristics of the apparatus thus providing agame for the players, the game providing fun and exercise whiledeveloping skill and dexterity.

2. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which:

i. the elongated body portion of the handle has a counterbore at anouter end,

ii. a flexible sleeve fits in and extends from the counterbore, thesleeve surrounding the link, so that the sleeve effectively cantileversthe link from the handle, the sleeve being adapted to bend under obliqueloads to provide additional spring effect to the link.

1. A game apparatus for use by two players, the apparatus including: a.a flexible tension link having a portion of relatively inelasticmaterial and a portion of relatively elastic material, in an unstretchedcondition the elastic material portion being shorter than the inelasticmaterial portion, the portions being joined at each end in parallelrelationship so as to form a composite link having selected dynamiccharacteristics, the link having two ends, b. a handle secured to eachend of the link, one handle to be held by one player, the other handleto be held by the other player, each handle including an elongated bodyportion to be gripped in the hand, the handle extending beyond the handand having a wrist loop to pass around and snuggly enclose the wrist andto be gripped against the body portion, c. a weighted body secured toboth portions at a position on the link remote from the ends of thelink, so that as a result of rapid movements of the players andmovements of hands of the players the weighted body can be thrown fromone player to the other, dynamic characteristics oF the apparatus thusproviding a game for the players, the game providing fun and exercisewhile developing skill and dexterity.
 2. A game apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 in which: i. the elongated body portion of the handle has acounterbore at an outer end, ii. a flexible sleeve fits in and extendsfrom the counterbore, the sleeve surrounding the link, so that thesleeve effectively cantilevers the link from the handle, the sleevebeing adapted to bend under oblique loads to provide additional springeffect to the link.